Police: Trumbull man traded guns for drugs

Daniel Tepfer

Updated 1:53 pm, Monday, March 18, 2013

Gregg Cavalier, 58, of 29 Plumb St., Trumbull, Conn. was charged with illegal trafficking of a firearm, two counts of carrying a pistol without a permit and two counts of illegal transfer of a firearm after his arrest by members of the State Police Gang Unit. Cavalier was held on gun trafficking charges Sunday, March 17, 2013, after police said he admitted to trading guns for drugs in Bridgeport to fuel his drug habit. These two guns are the weapons that were still in Mr. CavalierâÄôs possession when police interviewed him.
Photo: Contributed Photo

Gregg Cavalier, 58, of 29 Plumb St., Trumbull, Conn. was charged...

The gang unit and the Bridgeport Emergency Services Unit raided an apartment on Parrott Avenue in Bridgeport, Conn. on Thursday, March 14, 2013, and arrested Elijah Lewis, who is on probation for gun charges. During a search of the apartment, police said they found crack cocaine, heroin, marijuana, prescription pain killers, money and a .38-caliber handgun. Photo of evidence seized by police when they raided the Parrott Avenue home.
Photo: Contributed Photo

The gang unit and the Bridgeport Emergency Services Unit raided an...

The gang unit and the Bridgeport Emergency Services Unit raided an apartment on Parrott Avenue in Bridgeport, Conn. on Thursday, March 14, 2013, and arrested Elijah Lewis, who is on probation for gun charges. During a search of the apartment, police said they found crack cocaine, heroin, marijuana, prescription pain killers, money and a .38-caliber handgun. Photo of evidence seized by police when they raided the Parrott Avenue home.
Photo: Contributed Photo

The gang unit and the Bridgeport Emergency Services Unit raided an...

The gang unit and the Bridgeport Emergency Services Unit raided an apartment on Parrott Avenue in Bridgeport, Conn. on Thursday, March 14, 2013, and arrested Elijah Lewis, who is on probation for gun charges. During a search of the apartment, police said they found crack cocaine, heroin, marijuana, prescription pain killers, money and a .38-caliber handgun. Photo of evidence seized by police when they raided the Parrott Avenue home.
Photo: Contributed Photo

BRIDGEPORT -- A Trumbull man was held on gun trafficking charges Sunday after police said he admitted to trading guns for drugs in Bridgeport to fuel his drug habit.

City officials hailed the arrest as an example of their crackdown on illegal straw gun sales.

Gregg Cavalier, 58, of 29 Plumb St., was charged with illegal trafficking of a firearm, two counts of carrying a pistol without a permit and two counts of illegal transfer of a firearm after his arrest by members of the State Police Gang Unit.

"This was great investigative work, following leads and identifying one of the sources of the handguns that plague our city. It was only a matter of time before the other two guns ended up on the street in the hands of criminals," said Police Chief Joseph L. Gaudett Jr. "I think that this investigation saved lives."

Early Thursday, the gang unit and the Bridgeport Emergency Services Unit raided an apartment on Parrott Avenue in Bridgeport and arrested Elijah Lewis, who is on probation for gun charges. During a search of the apartment, police said they found crack cocaine, heroin, marijuana, prescription pain killers, money and a .38-caliber handgun.

Police said they subsequently traced the gun to Cavalier, whose pistol permit was revoked in November 2011. Cavalier had previously reported that gun and another one missing to Trumbull police.

When interviewed by gang unit members, police said Cavalier admitted he traded the two guns, along with extra magazines, ammunition and a holster, to his drug dealer, whom he knew as Andy.

Cavalier was cooperative and told police he was still in possession of two other guns, which he turned over. Cavalier also acknowledged he knew that he was filing a false report when he reported the guns stolen.

Bridgeport Police Sgt. Jason Amato said the .38-caliber recovered in the raid was he second firearm found in Bridgeport that comes back to Gregg Cavalier out of Trumbull.

"This appears to be another case of an addict trading his firearms for narcotics," Amato said.

"The community has asked where these guns are coming from? There is no single answer, but this arrest illustrates that this is not just an urban problem," Mayor Bill Finch said. "Guns from the suburbs are finding their way into the hands of criminals in our cities."

"This is just the latest example of why we need to strengthen our gun laws to hold accountable both the people who commit violence on our streets, but also the people who provide the means," Finch said.

The recovered handguns will be test fired to determine if they were used in any crimes in Bridgeport.